
11/07/2024
Shepherding is not an easy business. The hours and the walks are long, the conditions are often dirty, and attention to detail is a must. Sheep are not the brightest of animals, and they have strong tendencies to wander off, get stuck, or leave themselves vulnerable to predators. When David wrote that the Lord was his shepherd, he was making a profound statement about God's watchful eye over his people and his attentiveness to our needs. When the prophets wrote of shepherds who misled God's people, they were issuing strong indictments against neglectful and dangerous leaders. And when Jesus compared a shepherd's desire to leave ninety-nine safe sheep behind to go after the one that was lost, he was painting a powerful picture of the heart of heaven toward those who have strayed. The task of shepherding is constant, demanding, and based on the shepherd's compassion and care.
So when Jesus identified himself as the Good Shepherd who sacrifices his life for the sheep, he took shepherding characteristics to their ultimate extreme to assure his followers that they were under the best of care. His words remind us that our tendency to live in fear, anxiety, worry, insecurity, and mistrust—our unfounded belief that we are on our own and subject to random forces of harm—is completely unwarranted. Though we can be certain we will face trials and hardships, we can also be certain that God governs our lives and guards us from ultimate dangers. He is leading us safely and securely to very pleasant places.
It is vital, both for your own sake and the sake of those who look to you for a connection with eternal truth, to live with that assurance. It will keep you calm in crises and anchor your attitudes in the invisible realm of the Spirit. It will become a signpost to your world that there is value in living by faith and not by sight. And it will serve as an open invitation for others to enter into the watchful care of their Shepherd.
”I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.“
John 10:11